Should I microchip my pet? If you are a loving pet owner like myself, you might share in one of my biggest fears: losing my fur baby! Our pets can sneak out the front door, squeeze out of a fence, or even be stolen. It has been statistically proven that 1 in 3 pets become lost at some point in their lives. That is why it pays to take a few steps to keep your pet safe. Microchipping your dog or cat is a safe and effective tool. It often helps lost pets get back home, and it gives you extra peace of mind.
How Do Microchips Work?
A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice. It carries your pet’s ID number and is usually placed between the shoulder blades. Microchips are not GPS trackers, and you can’t use one to track your pet. If your pup or cat becomes lost and makes its way to a rescue or shelter, staff can scan your pet. They will see the ID number and use it to contact you.
Requiring no sedation or medication, inserting a microchip into an animal is a very simple process. No more invasive than a routine vaccination, microchips are inserted by needle and require no aftercare. Microchips are inexpensive and can be inserted during a routine checkup. It really is that easy! The only aftercare or “maintenance” needed is that you, the owner, need to keep all identifying information corresponding to the microchip up-to-date.
Out of all microchipped animals that have been rescued, the most common reason for not returning them to their owner is inaccurate information on the owner’s profile. Providing legitimate info such as phone number, address, email, name, etc. increases the likelihood that shelters and rescues will be able to find you if they recover your pet.
GPS Collars and AirTags
Another step you could take is clipping a tracker to your pet’s collar. Some of the dogs our pet sitters visit even wear Apple AirTags on their collars. An AirTag does not have its own GPS. It shows its location through Apple’s Find My network of nearby Apple devices. If no Apple device passes near your lost pet, the AirTag can’t update its location.
There’s also the Fi GPS collar, which is a good GPS option. You do have to pay a monthly fee to use tracking. If you’re willing to pay for it, a GPS tracker is definitely a good option if you want to know the precise location of your baby at all times.
While collars and tags are absolutely recommended and beneficial in helping a lost fur baby find their owner, their downfall is that they may fall off or the information can fade away over time. Pets who are microchipped have been found to be 20x more likely to be reunited with their owner! With minimal risks and possibly huge rewards, microchips are amazing tools that can benefit both you and your pet in case they were to go missing. Of course, the absolute safest thing to do is to take every precaution you can!
Additional Resources: